JACKSON, MI – A man responsible for two heists in Calhoun County is going to prison for at least seven years for additional robberies of a gas station and grocery store in Jackson County.

Jackson County Circuit Judge John McBain sentenced Robert French, 37, on Wednesday, April 23, to seven to 30 years in prison for two counts of armed robbery.

In Jackson County, French pleaded guilty in March, admitting to robbing Lightning Quick Gas-N-Go, 4200 W. Michigan Ave., in Blackman Township on May 9 and the Pulaski Grocery, 9965 Pulaski Road, on March 29, 2013. In the May robbery, he wielded a baseball bat.

The sentence will run concurrent to the five years and two months to 18 years and nine months a Calhoun County judge gave him in December for using a sword to rob the Homer Shell Food Mart, 221 W. Leigh St., on June 2. He also used a handgun to rob Short Stoppe party store, 116 S. Clark St. on May 1 in Sheridan Township near Albion.

“I am not going to try to give you an excuse,” French told the judge Wednesday. “There is none.”

What he did was wrong, he said, and all he requested was a second chance.

Before the robberies, French had no criminal record, his lawyer, Craig Pappin said. He does not struggle with any substance abuse issues. “This was purely economic,” Pappin said.

McBain said he did not know French’s financial situation, but, clearly, his actions were unacceptable.

The judge read a statement from a victim who had to take 1.5 months off of work because of the robbery. It affects the employee every day.

French presently is housed at the Gus Harrison Correctional Facility in Adrian, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.